Game board



Oct. 22, 1940. wags 2,218,998

GAME BOARD Filed Aug. 31, 1939 INVENTOR SIDNEY WEISS ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 22, 1940 UNITED STATES PATIENT F FICE 2,218,998 I GAME BOARD l .1. Sidney Weiss, University vCity, Mo. I

' v Application August 31, 1939,-SerialN0. 292302 7 Claims.

variety, an example of which is found in the new popular game of Chinese checkers, in which colored balls or marbles of agate, glass or the like, are employed for play upon the board field.

Accordingly, the object of the invention resides in providing a game board of improved and novel construction, having the opposite faces thereof prepared, marked or otherwise outlined to provide'appropr'iate playing fields for games of difierent types, and wherein at least one of the board-fields is prepared for a type of game employing pins, marbles or other pieces to be played on the board. More specifically, the object of the present invention is to provide a game board of the type indicated, which is of simple and improved construction, embodying therein provision for holding and storing the playing pieces,=as marbles and the like, when not in use I r Another object residesin'the provision of a game board of noveland improved construction, having pre-formed members cooperating "in assembly :to provide board-margins or border elements of smooth surface and pleasing appearance, wherein at least one of the border members is formed to provide-a chamber extending substantially the length thereof, for the reception and storage of playing: pieces, provision being made for access to the chamber, as .by at -least one opening thereto, having associated therewith a suitable closure means. i

Further objects and advantages of the'im proved game board forming-the-subject of the invention, will appear. readily from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, as illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in

which: 1 1 p v Fig. 1 is a plan view-prone ,playing side .of the game board, showingthe board surface or playing field prepared fora pin or. marble game, as .Chinese checkers, and illustrating the improved border structurethereof; Fig.2 is an enlarged, transverse sectional elevation of a portion of the .border structure as providedfor Bone edge of the board, the view being taken along-the line 12-2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3-iis an enlarged, transverse sectional elevation of 'a'portion 'of the border structure as provided for another edge of the board, the view :being taken from line 3-3 in Fig. .1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary elevation-fin perspective, of one corner of the board structure, illustrating certain structural details thereof; Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of a part of the structure shown in Fig. 5, as taken along line 55 therein, and Fig.6 is a, further sectional elevation of the structural showing of Fig. 5, as taken along line 66 therein.

Referring to the drawing by appropriate characters of reference, l9 designates'generally, a preferred form of game *board incorporating the features of my invention. The board proper H which provides playing fields on its opposite surfaces l2 and I 3 (Fig. 2), has at least one of its surfaces, as the surface l-2 appearing iniF-i-g, 1, prepared for a game of a type utilizing pins, balls, marbles or other pieces to be played thereon; In the illustration of Fig. l, the board surface I2 is provided with a"m*u1tiplicity of pockets or recesses l4 therein, arranged within an appropriate outline, as the six-pointed star design l5 as shown. The recesses provide seats I forpins, balls or other elements serving as .the playing pieces, as for example, the marbles l6 shown seated in certain of the recesses.

' The board proper I l is provided with a novel and improved border-forming structure indicatedgen- "erally at H, which is so constructed as to :receive in assembly, the board edges or marginal portions 18; and further, the assembly relation thereof is such that the structure provides a perimetral guard-rail or shoulder for the opposite playing surfaces 12 and I 3 of the board. .Moreover, and importantly since it constitutes a principal feature of the invention, the border-- forming structure includes storage space for the 5 -playing pieces when notin play on the board, or when theiboard is not in use. Such storage space is contained within the border structure, thus enabling full use of the .game board for 'play on either of its playing surfaces. Furthermore, the provision fors'toring the playing pieces within the game board assembly, serves to maintain suchpieces at all times within easy reach of a player at the board, and also facilitates keeping. the game board and playing pieces together. All of the foregoing features of theinvention and others not enumerated above, will readily appear from the following description in detail, of the border-forming structure I! and its assembly relation to the board H. V

The border-forming structure is comprised preferably of separately formed members, one for each edge of the board ll, whichare suitably secured together and to the board; The members 1 9 thereof, which are arranged along I the opposite, corresponding edges 20 of the board, are preferably substantially identical in structure and form, while the same applies to the remaining two members 2| extending along the opposite, corresponding edges 22 of the board. All of the members are cut or punched from suitable sheet metal stock, and each then pressed or otherwise formed to provide the desired, finished shape as designed therefor.

Describing first the members l9, each is of channel-form in section (Fig. 2), with the end portions 23 of the channel flanges 24, rolled under in the manner shown. One of the flange ends 23 is preferably longer than the other, so that in forming the member, the extended portion 25 thereof may be turned in a direction to project toward the opposite flange 24 and its end 23, as shown in Fig. 2. Thus the rolled-under ends 23 and the projection 25 cooperate to provide a recessed seat 26 for the reception of one edge 20 of the board, as appears in Fig. 2. The projection 25 effectively limits the extent to which the board edge 20 enters the channel member, confining it to the seat zone 26 and thus leaving the channel interior or chamber 21 free and unobstructed throughout the length of the member between its open ends 28. The chamber 21 and that in the opposite corresponding border member, provides storage space for playing pieces, as the marbles |6, one of which is shown seated in the chamber, as appears in the sectional elevation of Fi 2. Also, several of the marbles are shown in the chambers of the border members l9, as appears in the assembly View, Fig. 1, of the game board, the marbles appearing of course, in dotted lines. Although the channel Wall 29 bridging the flanges 24, may be given any desired shape, it is preferred in the present example, to

round the wall as shown, to facilitate reception within the member, of round or spherical playing pieces, as the marbles l6.

Referring now to the border members 2|, these are substantially identical in structure and similarly secured to the board and members l9. Each is formed from suitable sheet metal, as by a cutting or stamping process, and then shaped as shown, as by pressing. In section, the member is of channel-form, providing a wall 3|] and flanges 3|, the longitudinal edge portions 32 of which are rolled-under, as shown. The rolledunder edge portions 32 are relatively spaced to closely receive therebetween one of the edge portions 22 of the board I l, which in assembly, abuts the Wall of the border member (Fig. 3). At each .end 33 of the member, the wall 30 is rounded, while the flanges 3| are curved and are integrally joined, so that the end 33 provides a partly semi-circular pocket or recess 34 for the reception of the adjacent end 28 of member I9 (Figs. 4 and 6). In order to fully accommodate the end 28 of member I9, including its rolledunder flanges 24, the rolled-under flange portions 32 terminate short of the end 33 of the member 2|, and in assembly, abut the flange portions 23 of member IS. The border members may be secured together in any suitable manner, as by the tongue-elements 35 projecting longitudinally from the end 28 of the member l9, which elements are extended through slots 36 in the end 33 of member 2| and then turned down to clamp the members together. All the border members may be thus secured at each corner of the board assembly.

It will be observed now from the description thus far, that the chambers 21 in members I!) are effectively closed at their ends 28, by the end portions 33 of the adjoining members 2|. Accordingly, as will now appear, provision is made for access to each of the storage chambers 21 preferably at one of its ends 28.

Referring particularly to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the wall 30 at one end 33, is apertured as at 31, in axial register with the end 28 of chamber 21, and through which playing pieces may be introduced to or removed from the storage chamber 21 within the border-forming member l9. Preferably, but one such opening is provided for each of the chambers 21, desirably located at diagonally opposite corners of the board assembly. However, it is to be understood, of course, that access openings to the chambers may be provided at each of the four corners of the board.

Selectively operable closure means is provided for each opening 31, such means in the present example, being found in a slidable plate 38, the end portion 39 of which is adapted for closing the chamber opening when displaced to the position shown in Figs. 4 and 6. The plate is arranged for sliding movement longitudinally over the external face 4|] of wall 30 of the member 2|. It is retained on the member 2| and confined for such sliding movement, by spaced elements or lugs 4| which may be struck-up from the metal of wall 30 and which have opposed flanges 42 overlying the plate 38 in the manner shown. A longitudinal section 43 of the plate, between the guide flanges 42, is by preference pressed outwardly, to provide a finger-piece 44 by which the closure plate may be actuated. In forming the finger piece, the pressed-out metal section 43 provides a longitudinal groove 45 in the under surface of the plate, and seating in the groove is a lug or element 46 projecting from the wall 30 of member 2|. The lug 46 and groove 45 cooperate in limiting the sliding movement of the plate 38, the relative location of the lug and groove preferably being such as to determine the limits of plate-movement to full-open and full-closed positions relative to the chamber opening 31.

The foregoing description relates only to a preferred embodiment of the invention, which provides an improved game board construction fully attaining the objects and advantages enumerated hereinabove, as well as others now readily appearing. It may be noted that the borderf0rm- 0 parting from the spirit and full intended scope of the invention, as defined by the claims hereunto appended.

I claim:

1. A game board assembly of the type described, comprised of aboard providing playing surfaces or fields on opposite sides thereof, at least one of said playing fields being adapted for the play of game pieces thereon, and borderforming means for the board margins, said means including a member formed to provide a chamber therein for the reception and storage of game pieces when not in play on the board, said member being formed further, to provide a seat extending inwardly of the chamber in said member, adapted for the reception in assembly, of a margin of said board, a second member arranged along an adjacent margin of the board and structurally joined to the first said member, said second member having an opening therein, giving access to said chamber, and a selectively operable closure means for said opening, carried by one of said members.

2. A game board assembly of the type described, comprised of a board providing playing surfaces or fields on its opposite sides, at least one of said fields being adapted for the play of game pieces thereon, and border-forming means for the board margins, said means including a member of substantially channel-form, having the longitudinal end portions of the channel flanges inturned relative to the channel interior, a flange element on one of said inturned flange portions, projected toward the other inturned flange por tion, said inturned flange portions and said flange element cooperating to provide a seat for one margin of said board, the interior of said channel member providing a chamber for the reception and storage of game pieces when not in play on the board, and means providing access to said chamber. a

3. A game board assembly of the type described, comprised of a board providing playing surfaces or fields on its opposite sides, at least one of said fields being adapted for the play of game pieces thereon, and border-forming means for the board margins, said means including a member of substantially channel-form, having the longitudinal end portions of the channel flanges inturned relative to the channel interior, a flange element on one of said inturned flange portions, projected toward the other inturned flange portion, said inturned flange portions and said flange element cooperating to provide a seat for one margin of said board, the interior of said channel member providing a chamber for the reception and storage of game pieces when not in play on the board, a second member arranged along an adjacent margin of the board and structurally joined to the first said member, said second member having an opening therethrough,

giving access to the chamber in the first said member, and a selectively operable closure means for said opening, carried by one of said members.

4. A game board assembly of the type described, comprised of a board providing playing surfaces or fields on its opposite sides, at least one of said field being adapted for the play of game pieces thereon, and border-forming means for the margins of the board, said means including a member extending along one margin of the board and providing a chamber therein, for the reception and storage of the game pieces when not in play on the board, a second member extending along an adjacent margin of the board, one end of said second member being formed to provide a recess for the reception of the adjacent end of the first said member, said second member having an opening in said end thereof, providing access to said chamber, and a closure element for -for the board,

ment of the closure element.

5. A game board assembly of the type described, comprised of a board providing playing surfaces or fields on its opposite sides, at least one of said fields being adapted for the play of g game pieces thereon, and border-forming means comprising members arranged along the board margins and structurally joined at adjacent ends thereof, one of said members providing a chamber interiorly thereof, for the reception and storage of the game pieces when not in play on the board, another of said members having an opening therein, communicating withsaid chamber for providing access thereto, guide elements on the last said member, located near said opening, and a closure element for said opening, slidably received in said guide elements.

6. A game board assembly of the type described, comprised of a. board providing playing surfaces orfields on its opposite sides, at least one of said fields being adapted for the play of game pieces thereon and border-forming means for the board, comprising members arranged along the boardmargins and structurally joined at adjacent ends thereof, one of said members providing a chamber interiorly thereof, for the reception and storage of the game pieces when not in play on the board, another of said members having an opening therein, communicating with said chamber for providing access thereto, guide elements on the last said member, located near said opening, a closure element for said opening, slidably received in said guide elements, and cooperating means on said closure element and the lastsaid member, serving to limit the sliding movement of said closure element. 7. A game board assembly of the type described, comprised of a board providing playing surfaces or fields on its opposite sides, at least one of said fields being adapted for the play of game pieces thereon, and border-forming means for the board, comprising members arranged along the board margins and structurally joined at adjacent ends thereof, one of said members providing a. chamber interiorly thereof, for the reception and storage of the game pieces when not in play on the board, another of said members having an opening therein, communicating with said chamber for providing access thereto, guide elements on the last said member, located near said opening, a closure element for said opening, slidably received in said guide elements, a portion of said closure element being pressed outwardly to provide-an operating handle for the closure element, said pressed out portion forming a groove longitudinally of the element, in the under surface thereof, and a projection on the last said member, seating in said grooveand cooperating therewith in limiting the sliding move- SID NEJY WEISS. 

